Tag Archives: All Souls Trilogy

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Monday Author: Susanne Skinner

The Internet is always on, reminding information seekers that the world is an amazing, confusing, amalgamation of facts, fake news, opinion and things you didn’t know you needed to know.

Information overload means finding more than we bargain for. Sometimes it overwhelms us and the only option is to step away, leaving it for another day.

This is where I am now: what’s On My Mind May 2019. There is a lot I can’t process, and it’s weighing on my mind this last week of May—maybe it’s the same for you.

Where Do We Go from Here?

Several states are challenging women’s health rights with the “heartbeat bill.” I am unable to comprehend the WHY of this law. If it’s about regard for human life, let’s begin the discussion by talking about those already born, along with reliable and affordable health care, accessible contraception and subsidized childcare programs.

I am struggling to understand why some people—men mostly—believe they are the authority over something so emotionally difficult, personal…and female. No matter your choice, and it must always be a choice, it is yours alone to make.

Game Over

Proving that absolute power corrupts absolutely, the eight-year saga of HBO’s Game of Thrones has ended. As a series fangirl, it was bittersweet. It was never a love story, it was the struggle of good versus evil, corruption and entitled leadership.

The Internet was Flame On with a wide range of opinions about the ending and while the writing wasn’t stellar, I had closure. Many HBO subscribers threatened to drop the channel while others demanded a rewrite.

For those who found no joy in the final episodes you must look to George R. R. Martin, who left the fate of all the characters in the hands of the series writers because he did not finish the books. #Team Tyrion.

Meanwhile, In Other News…

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is no longer enjoying the embassy sweet life. Assange avoided arrest for almost seven years while Ecuador granted him asylum and housed him in its London embassy. Julian is gone, but some of us are wondering about his cat. Well, wonder no more.

Men, are you deliberating what not to wear? The answer is Crocheted Shorts. But if you must, call a friend who knits and ask if they have left over yarn and a few spare hours. Warning: you can’t un-see this.

Pantone announced a return to nature with their 2019 color of the year. Living coral speaks to the beautiful and energizing aspects of the underwater ecosystem. According to the arbiter of all things color, choosing this shade suggests a reconnection with nature experiences, speaking to simplicity and natural wellness. I love it.

In the Kitchen with Suze

I love making and eating cookies. Finding a new recipe or twist on an old favorite is enough to make me soften the butter and turn on the oven.

I can’t say this enough but it bears repeating—use good butter. Price is not an indicator of taste; many are not worth the extra money. My baking favorites are Presidente and Land O‘Lakes European butter, both available in the grocery store.

Cookies make everyone happy. Baklava Thumbprint Cookies – now why didn’t I think of that? Combining the ease of a drop cookie with the complexity of baklava filling, this rewards you with the best of both worlds without all that phyllo dough stress. They are so easy to make, with a hint of that baklava sweetness to set them apart from the traditional jam version.

Take a Swig

Swigs have been on my cookie bucket list and now that I’ve made them, I regret waiting so long. This iconic cookie heralds from St. George, Utah, in the shop that bears its name.

A swig is an old-fashioned shortbread and sugar cookie combo with a few interesting twists, one being the addition of oil and varying amounts of sour cream in both dough and frosting. I looked at quite a few recipes and settled on one using less sour cream, with just enough to taste the tang.

This cookie goes nowhere without the traditional pink frosting. Don’t be tempted to omit it. The secret of the cookies and the frosting is the sour cream. They taste best served cold, so I keep mine refrigerated. You should too. Bet you can’t eat just one.

Read ~ Listen ~ Watch

Read

I fell in love with the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness. It is a very character-driven story about creatures; vampires, demons and witches, weaving together history, magic, the supernatural, and romance as they search for their origins.

Time’s Convert is the follow up, and it’s as disappointing as the others were good. I tried to like it, but the details are disjointed and vague, the story line is unfulfilling and the same characters that were so remarkable are one dimensional and hard to embrace. After reading three books I could not put down, this one falls flat.

Listen

Hello Sunshine is a new offering from Bruce Springsteen. He’s still The Boss.

Watch

Mrs. Wilson is a true story brilliantly told in three parts. Ruth and Alec Wilson have been happily married for twenty years. When he dies unexpectedly, she discovers he had multiple wives and families. Alec worked for the British government in various capacities, but the story casts credible doubt as to what is real and what is fiction. Alec was a bigamist several times over, but the British government refuses to confirm or deny the story’s premise, stating it is still classified information.

Practice Gratitude

Internet doom and gloom is hard to ignore. Balance life with the right attitude and a lot of gratitude there is always something to be thankful for. The question is not what you look at but what you see.